Frances was born on January 10, 1922 in Harris, Mo. Daughter of Van R. Purdy and Netice (Cochran) Purdy, also two sisters Ilene Jones of Holton City, Texas and Letha June Britton, deceased. She attended grade school in Harris, Mo. and High School in Milan, graduating in the Class of 1940. She was co-valedictorian of her class.

On September 17, 1940 she married Joe McCarty of Milan at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. While her husband was in the Army in Europe during World War II, Frances worked in Flint and Benton Harbor, Michigan for 3 years returning to Milan when her husband Joe returned from the Army in 1945. Steve McCarty and Paula (McCarty) May were born in 1947 and 1948. Frances was a devout, convert to the Catholic Church. She was a member of the St. Mary’s Altar Society and washed and ironed the alter clothes and sewed draperies for over 50 years as her contribution to the church. After her children were grown she clerked for several Milan businesses including, The Purdin Mercantile, Rexall Drug Store, Gambles Store, and The Milan Standard for nearly 30 years. She really enjoyed working with “the girls” at the office. She loved and was so proud of her family. Frances grew and shared some of the best tomatoes in town! Her pies were especially loved by her family and friends!

Frances was one of the last women of the “Greatest Generation” as authors have called them. They endured the “Great Depression” and worked and fought for Democracy during World War II and afterward they, along with their friends and families, worked to make a better community and country.

Services for Frances will be held 11:00 AM, Wednesday, January 24, 2018 at Schoene-Ruschmeier Funeral Home in Milan. Burial will follow in the St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery. A visitation is scheduled for one hour prior to the service, starting at 10:00 AM. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Sullivan County Nutrition Site.